Mash for chickens - I need recipes

[Egglady77]

What are everyone's recipes for chicken mash? I've recently started soaking a bit of grain in the morning and putting it in the blender for their breakfast. My hens are picky and hate grain of any sort, and I've never been able to get them to eat it. But this way they love it and waste nothing. In fact they go crazy for it. How do I start the whole fermented mash thing? And what things can I add to it for extra nutrition? Like spices, sugar, minerals, etc?

 

[FrostRanger]

I would just do plain chicken feed. To ferment it, fill a jar a little under halfway with feed and the rest of the way with water, cover loosely and let it sit for 2-3 days and serve
Edit:
Typing in a hurry and being on mobile don't mix well

 

[Egglady77]

I would just do plain chicken feed. To ferment it, fill a barn a little under halfway with feed and the rest of the way with water, cover loosely and let it sit for 2-3 days and serve

I don't have plain chicken feed though. We grow our grain because it's so much cheaper. It's a mix. Like barley, oats, corn, sunflower seeds, etc. But they choose to only eat the seeds. So can I do what you just said with this?

 

[Mother of Chaos]

I would just do plain chicken feed. To ferment it, fill a barn a little under halfway with feed and the rest of the way with water, cover loosely and let it sit for 2-3 days and serve

hee hee

 

[FrostRanger]

hee hee

Yeah, I typed that near the end of my 15. I just got off work and saw that and thought "how'd that typo happen" lol

 

[Altairsky]

If you want to ferment whole grain, look for proteic race pigeon mix. It's good and healthy for chickens and it ferments really well.

 

[Aunt Wizzy]

What are everyone's recipes for chicken mash? I've recently started soaking a bit of grain in the morning and putting it in the blender for their breakfast. My hens are picky and hate grain of any sort, and I've never been able to get them to eat it. But this way they love it and waste nothing. In fact they go crazy for it. How do I start the whole fermented mash thing? And what things can I add to it for extra nutrition? Like spices, sugar, minerals, etc?

I use an organic grain mix (corn, wheat, barley, oats, peas) from Tractor Supply: 25# lasts about 3+ months at 2 cups (soaked) per day. My 9 hens will not eat the peas-- so I pick them out (ridiculous!), soak (no rinsing) them til they sprout- maybe about a week+ til they have a 1" tail & a 1" sprout stalk, then let the hens have them. They love them!

When I first started to soak them I rinsed the "dust" off, covered them with warm water, put them in a warm place and stirred daily.
Then, I read somewhere that the pinkish-lavender foam/"scum" that appears floating on top after a few days is good for them: B vitamins, prebiotics, probiotics, improved gut health, happier dispositions (though not bad to begin with).....although if I'm running, the girls let me know!

Sorry I don't have a better grasp of the economics. I put 8 cups of grain in a 3-4 gallon bowl (what works for me), cover it by 2" with warm water, cover with a terry cloth towel, set it on a warm (sunny is ok) place and let it go.
I sometimes need to add a little more water the 2nd day. I take out 2 cups for the girls each day, then recover and put back in warm place. Lasts 4-5 days. Last bag we bought was beginning of July. We are not ½way through the bag yet.
Am going to look into mixing my own next.

I mix it with veg/fruit scrapes, table scraps (no onions, etc.), crushed egg shells (they won't touch oyster shells). Also, chopped tomatoes and romaine (they adore romaine!) for a treat.

Happy hens, happy me!
BUT: the squirrels have discovered the bounty so we are now at war! ANY SUGGESTIONS GREATLY APPRECIATED. My Grands suggested putting out an electric flyswatter with food on it...maybe that would work?







Do not add sugar! I add red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, thyme, basil, oregano, granulated garlic.........in any combination. Keeps them free of pests ( worms, lice, chiggers, etc.). I put it in several open pans in their run.....and they love it!I do not ferment their layer pellets-- just leave it for free feeding.